Brighton and Hove Albion are said to have a more valuable squad than Bayern Munich, according to new data.
Fabian Hürzeler's side have enjoyed a flying start to the new Premier League season and came from behind to beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 prior to the October international break. The Seagulls have once again recruited well this year, bringing in Georginio Rutter from Leeds and Yankuba Minteh from Newcastle United just to name a few.
But is their overall squad worth higher than a side that features the likes of Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala and Serge Gnabry? Well, new research has suggested the once League Two outfit has now trumped the six-time European champions.
Brighton's squad is now worth more than Bayern Munich's. Yes, really.
According to the 475th edition of CIES's Football Observatory, Brighton's current squad value is estimated to be in the region of €807 million (£675.5 million). That beats Bayern Munich's worth of €801 million (£670.5 million), despite their plethora of stars across the board.
Although the data does not suggest which players yield the highest value, Brighton has 48 players on the books, at an estimated average per player of €16.8 million (£14 million).
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Brighton's recruitment has long been praised, with Mats Wieffer (24), Brajan Gruda (20), Ferdi Kadioglu (24) and Matt O'Riley (23) all arriving at the club for fees thought to be in excess of €30 million (£25 million) each.
Is Bayern's squad beginning to age under Vincent Kompany?
Manuel Neuer is now 38, Thomas Muller is 35 and Harry Kane, Raphael Guerreiro and Eric Dier are already 30. Perhaps that goes some way in explaining why Brighton's squad of young and up-and-coming stars is valued, in the grand scheme of things, as more valuable than Bayern's.
Exciting talents Mathys Tel, Musiala, Michael Olise and Alphonso Davies all provide a nod to the future, but Bayern's recruitments will more than likely have to be shrewd in coming years to ensure they keep up with bringing the next generation of players to the club.
